Anadarko Petroleum Corp said on Monday it has found a significant gas accumulation off the coast of Mozambique, marking the latest oil and gas find to be made by Western companies in the East African waters.
Major oil companies have earlier announced finds of huge additional quantities of gas off the coast of Mozambique and Tanzania, cementing the future of East Africa as a major new supplier exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to energy-hungry Asia.
Anadarko’s partners in the latest find include London-listed Cove Energy which is the target of a bid war between Royal Dutch Shell and Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production because of its Mozambique interests.
Anadarko said the successful Atum exploration well lies within the Offshore Area 1 of the Rovuma Basin.
The well was drilled to a total depth of about 12,665 feet and had encountered more than 300 net feet of natural gas pay, Anadarko said.
“We believe the total estimated recoverable natural gas resource in Mozambique’s Offshore Area 1 is between 30 and 60 Tcf (trillion cubic feet), and the current upside for total gas in place for the discovered reservoirs on the block is approaching 100 Tcf,” Anadarko’s chief executive Al Walker said in a statement.
Around 10 trillion cubic feet would be enough to meet an entire year’s gas consumption by France, Germany, Britain and Italy.
Anadarko is operator in Offshore Area 1 with a 36.5 percent working interest. Co-owners include Mitsui E&P Mozambique Area 1, BPRL Ventures Mozambique, Videocon Mozambique Rovuma 1 Ltd and Cove Energy Mozambique Rovuma Offshore.
